As far as my eyes can see
There are Shadows approaching me
And to those I left behind
I wanted you to Know
You've always shared my deepest thoughts
You follow where I go

And oh when I'm old and wise
Bitter words mean little to me
Autumn Winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they asked me if I knew you
I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine
And the sadness would be Lifted from my eyes
Oh when I'm old and wise

As far as my Eyes can see
There are shadows surrounding me
And to those I leave behind
I want you all to know
You've always Shared my darkest hours
I'll miss you when I go

And oh, when I'm old and wise
Heavy words that tossed and blew me
Like Autumn winds that will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they ask you if you knew me
Remember that You were a friend of mine
As the final curtain falls before my eyes
Oh when I'm Old and wise

17 Comments

General CommentIt makes you wonder how much fun Eric Woolfson is to be around, doesn't it? The dramatically sad tone of this song is matched by it's soaring orchestration and wistful oboe laying out the basic theme.

Will the realization of our death (those of us who have the time to contemplate it), make us wise enough to say goodbye to everyone we know? Will we be sure to let them know how much we cared? Do we do that now? Maybe we should - you never know - you might not get the chance to live out this song...

General CommentEven I, at twenty-one, am choked up by this song. It seems to me (as per my personal interpretation, of course) that he is not yet old and wise, and somewhat torn between contemplations of the finity of life and the pain of youth. The lines referring to the shadows approaching/surrounding him, are [obviously] a metaphor; it is his certainty that is enshadowed. As I'm still young, my future seems to stretch on almost infinitely. However, there will come a time when I am less certain of just how long I have left. What I can identify with personally, are the "bitter words" lines. The affections of certain others in my life are terribly important to me, and their words have the power to turn my world upside down. I can do my best to keep my sanity and my health, but I draw a great deal of my strength, from the future; hoping and telling myself that one day, things won't be so hard; one day I'll have the strength to handle this; one day simple words won't have such power over me. Sadly, this will probably not be the case; expecting to one day be immune to bitter words seems a fallacy; no matter how old or wise, I will always be human; but I can hope.

I feel like this song is talking about a person who can his death nearing him far in the future. He is distressed because he lost contact with many of his good friends over time, and he says that they followed him wherever he went.

Then he goes to say "When I'm old and wise" which I translate to - "When I'm ready to die". So, when he's ready to die, he will be immune to words and troubles, almost emotionless. However, "When they ask me if I knew you" - when he feels alone, he remembers his lost friends and smiles, showing emotion, lifting all his sadness away; no longer being sad, when he's ready to die.

Then far in the future, all he can see is his death. And in this gloomy time, he will be missing his lost friends.

And then, when he's ready to die, words that once affecting him greatly will lose all their meaning. And in this sadistic time, his only wish is for his lost friends to remember that they were once friends. Then he can finally surrender himself to death.

General CommentThe main theme is reconciliation/forgiveness. As he is slipping away he wants those around him to let go of their ill feelings towards each other and not take unresolved to their graves.
(You follow where I go)

He has forgiven them
(Bitter words mean little to me...
Autumn Winds will blow right through me)
(Heavy words that tossed and blew me...
Like Autumn winds that will blow right through me)
(When they asked me if I knew you...
I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine)

He does hope they can forgive him.
(When they ask you if you knew me...
Remember that You were a friend of mine)

The tone of the song is remorseful..... wishing he would have resolved this sooner.

General Commentto me
seeing what is ahead from a view, there are worse (or different) things to come (shadows). Telling people the affect on hurtful things they passed on and did and (they???) see where you go.
When i age crying young years mean nothing to me, older years will be a breeze :) i will smile and see some as friends (or enemies) as a benefit to me. Because of this i can smile and the pain will rise (meaning go).
People around me studying me, forever. all i left behind i know it was the the dark time i went through and that is all will view me through. Miss because i have bright times ahead.
Very hard words only put me of course and affected me during - but strength overcame (Soul).
feeling as if i should sacrifice all for those gone before that, i should speak my mind.

General CommentIt could be a death bed expression. People you've known so intimately but then lost somehow by betrayal or similar and after a life of hate it's time to let go and look on the positive side.
Definitely a tear jerker...